Fact Sheet – December 2024
February 19, 2025
Fact Sheet – January 2025
February 22, 2025
As a nation, Sri Lanka faces significant economic, health and social issues arising from the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Women are especially affected by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in numerous ways. The rate of alcohol consumption and smoking among women in our country remains extremely low. Therefore, alcohol and tobacco companies are utilizing different strategies to convert women into consumers and normalize alcohol and tobacco products among them. Such interferences are being carried out in most countries around the world as well.
With the aim of uncovering alcohol industry strategies and investigating problems faced by women due to other’s alcohol consumption, the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) conducted a survey in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2025. The survey was conducted by collecting data from 1000 women above 15 years of age from 25 districts in Sri Lanka. This survey was conducted to investigate the problems women face due to others’ alcohol consumption and how alcohol violates women’s rights.
- 54% of women have faced problems due to others’ alcohol use
- 43% of women face mental and psychological challenges due to others' alcohol consumption
- 69% women have experienced discomfort in public places due to alcohol
- 37% of women were not aware that alcohol company strategies attract women to use alcohol by linking it to women’s rights
- 64% of women report that women’s rights are being violated when alcohol companies use women to promote their products
